Procurement and supply management (PSM) systems for medicines and health products are complex. They need to ensure regulatory coherence, provide value for money, offer supply continuity and meet the health needs of the population. Furthermore, PSM systems require close coordination with multiple partners, taking into account a wide range of factors. All countries are under pressure to maintain the delivery of essential health products, including priority medicines for HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, as well as emergency medicines and health products in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The WHO European Programme of Work highlights how WHO/Europe will support Member States’ efforts to ensure access to medicines and health products. This includes:

• identifying and supporting the correction of vulnerabilities in regulatory functions, production, procurement and supply chains, with a focus on substandard and falsified medicines and health products;
• accelerating the implementation of the World Health Assembly resolution WHA72.8 on improving the transparency of markets for medicines, vaccines and other health products, to improve access to high-priced, innovative medicines and vaccines by strengthening information systems, expanding voluntary inter-country collaborative platforms and supranational procurement groups, and developing technical options for fair pricing.

Notably, to this purpose, WHO/Europe together with the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services and the Norwegian Medicines Agency, developed the Oslo Medicines Initiative, seeking to create a neutral platform on which the public and private sectors can come together to outline a joint vision for equitable and sustainable access to effective, innovative and affordable medicines.

Efficient procurement of medicines is more than just obtaining the lowest price. It is about procuring the right medical products, at the right time and at the right price. It is about creating a healthy market where products of good quality are available at affordable prices on a sustainable basis and at the right time. In this context, a strategic approach to procurement is vital. Such an approach should encompass all activities that might improve the efficiency of procurement (e.g. activities to minimize low-value repetitive purchases, increase the benefit of economies of scale and reduce transaction and transport costs).

WHO/Europe aims to engage national stakeholders to support the development and strengthening of PSM systems, as well as contribute to regional efforts to build the capacity of PSM systems to respond to increasing demands for medicines and health products, and to support the development of a coordination platform across programmes, agencies and donors.